Uncharted :The Instruments of Time
by Angelynne Vas Normandy
Summary: For Nathan Drake,the black page of his life is the death of his parents,under unexplainable circumstances.What happens when the key to find out the truth behind these events lies beneath the control of time?Old friends return and others leave..NatexElena
1. When Time Begins Flowing

Chapter 1:When time begins flowing...

One of humanity's greatest wishes is to manage the control of time:to reverse to the past,to pause the present,to forward to the future...Many myths and fairy tales are based on that power,the control of time levels...The big question is,who is about to set up a journey and seek for that source?Only dreamers are able to do such things...

The scent of blended coffee in a small,cozy house feels like a great picture to imagine,but for an adventurer like Nathan Drake,this is more like oasis. A man who never calms down ,who lives the moments to their peak,brings destruction,havoc,chaos wherever he goes...The sofa,made out of soft fabric,colored in an orange tone,gives him the sense of cocooning he needed so damn much. However,Nate is not alone...

"Oh,shit,my Mac got stuck again!How many times I'll have to reboot that piece of plastic to make it work?" Elena shouted angrily. No,Nate's girlfriend,the famous journalist Elena Fisher didn't get pissed off so easily. It's just a week now that her new laptop has that problem. Nate got confused a bit. He was never the 'gizmodo-techie-junkie' kind of guy. He just kept to drink his coffee,while having a book,opened next to him...

"I'll give you six seconds to smash your head in the computer screen..."Nate said jokingly,as he sipped some coffee down on his neck..He slid his form,down across the sofa and came next to her,leaving his cup in front of them,on that old,wooden,coffee table..Elena looked at him,thinking how to give him hell...

"Yes,Nate,I admit it...I better do it myself.!Because if I don't,my boss will really get mad...And then **he**'ll smash my head..I have to finish this report,plus an article till Saturday and now it's Tuesday..Oh My God!"Elena said and finished her part with a heavy sigh of relief...Nate couldn't hold and smiled happily,kissing her forehead..Elena smirked a bit.

"Wow!Impressive,after the smashing comment before. This gets a 6.."Elena commented on Nate's moves,somehow unusual for him..

"Don't tell me you still rank my moves from a scale one to ten..Oh,crap,are you kidding me?"Nate retorted back..Yes,what Elena did was to monitor his every tiny things he did and rate them...openly. Like this one. After clowns got the top of Nate's 'List of ugly,terrifying stuff that scare the crap out of you',Elena saw this as an opportunity to play a naïve game and annoy Nate in a certain level.

"Why not,Nate?That's funny and amusing...I still have you tears in a jar,remember.?"Elena said in such devious way like a sassy fox. She could do even that type of things,as well. She let the laptop down on the table,next to Nate's cup of coffee. Elena embraced with both her hands his waist and he kissed softly the top of her head. Both looked each other in the eyes.

"Can you please calm down?Everything will be done in time..We even survived exploding boats,car crashes,train wreckages..."

"Is the list long yet? Because I'm tired even listening to them.."Elena interrupted Nate's flowing thoughts. If someone takes under consideration the fact that this couple lived such incredible and extraordinary things such the mentioned ones and many,many others,then Elena has a good alibi to complain.

"Just calm down and relax...You're safe and sound in your house,with me..."Nate pressed more to harmonize Elena's nerves.

"God knows for how long the first two ones will last,but honestly,I'm really joyful to be with you."Elena confessed. Nate smiled and pressed his lips with hers,as his tongue slid in her mouth .The embracing couple kept making out,when a digital sound from Elena's laptop killed the romantic mood...

"Shit.!I hate new technologies!"Nate said,as the beeping went on Elena's laptop..

"I bet you do!Now get of me,it's someone calling from Skype..Damn.!I forgot to close the program before."Elena explained herself as she was trying to get rid of Nate and manage to get hold of her computer..Yet,when Elena saw the caller,her jaw dropped down..

"Chloe Frazer?Geez,now I'm hallucinating."Elena shouted loudly to gain Nate's attention..

"Then what are waiting for?Answer the call,she might have something serious to tell!"Nate instructed Elena. She in order,pressed the accept button doubting still about what she was going to see or hear..The screen opened and Chloe appeared on a small window on the right corner of it. She had her black,dense hair caught up on a high ponytail,while wearing a white plain T-shirt..With that groggy,heavy voice she has,she greeted the couple in front of her..

"Hello,guys.!Long time,ain't it?A good point I saw Elena's Facebook,and managed to find her other accounts too..With some assistance,of course..."Chloe said and called someone from the room. Nate and Elena looked each other,both trying to figure out what she was talking about..However before reaching to conclusions,a man appeared in front of the screen. Someone very familiar to Nate..

"Got a surprise for you,Nate.."Chloe said smiling and made space to let the man take control of the computer. This guy was in his mid-40's with greying hair and had a pair of beautiful brown eyes..His name was...

"Professor Trevor Voss.?"Nate said with surprise on his voice..He kept smiling,like he was unable to completely comprehend if this was real..That man was a very important person in his life..A very close family friend,a colleague in field along with Nate's parents,Alexandra and Mathew Drake..He stood by him and his mother,when his father died. He also was a professor at university for two years,before Nate gave up his studies..Trevor then left along with his daughter,Andrianna for Ireland,where he got offered a better position..They lost contact but now Nate wonders why he is back?

"My dear Nathan...Are you ready for something exciting?"Voss asked his former student..

"I always am,sir.."Nate replied with enthusiasm...


	2. Crushing Moments

**I know that the first chapter was pissingly small,but I wanted to test the climate...Besides,it's my first story here..promise that the next chapters will be larger...or at least I'll try them to be...**

Chapter 2:Crushing moments...

"You haven't changed much,Nathan,my child..Still the same spirit of adventure into you..."Trevor said,with a steady voice..In the meanwhile,Elena took a strange 'what-the-fuck' face,as she was struggling herself to set up the puzzle pieces...

"Sorry to interrupt this exquisite line up ,but Nate?Who's this guy?"Elena asked Nate slowly and shyly..

"Miss Fisher,you're an excellent reporter,I must say..My daughter and I watch every episode of your show..Nate must be really lucky to have you on his side.."Trevor interrupted,before Nate managed

to introduce him to Elena..Back again,Chloe chuckled to what her ears were receiving.

"Elena,this is Professor Trevor Voss,one of the best in the field...He was close friends with my parents and he was some sort of uncle to me..He was my mentor,in a meaning.."Nate replied to Elena

"Like Sully number 2?"Elena questioned Nate again.."I mean Sully has the same...you know,traits like Mister Voss..."Elena was still confused,Nate's explanations didn't fill her the expected much...Nate thought for a while before answering to Elena's comment,while smirking a bit at the tip of his lip

"You could say that much..Professor,may I ask you?"Nate said.

"I think that Chloe and I have to ask some questions first"Trevor said as Chloe came closer to him,in order she could be visible to Nate and Elena..The couple looked each other..

"Nate,what do you know about the Instruments of Time?"Chloe inquired Nate .In his turn,Nate gulped anxiously...Out of the sudden,he begun sweating,as Elena notice some small drops, from this forehead down to his cheeks...She took the risk to ask him the matter of this reaction...

"From all of my students I had all these years,Chloe is the most un-discreet of all..I warned you,Frazer,this needs to be said in a more oblique...way"Trevor said. Once again,Nate didn't seem that much comfortable with the question. Definitely,something was itching him...hard...

"Elena,please shut the conversation and call them again later...I don't feel that good..."Nate requested from her..Trevor didn't got impressed,while Chloe widened her eyes..She goofed again..

"Okay,it's obvious that...I don't know what's wrong with him,but once he gets better,we'll call you back again...Deal?"Elena said to the screen,while the others waved their heads affirmatively...With a few clicks,Elena logged out and let her Mac aside...She looked at Nate..

"I think that you owe me some more,organized info about this...I don't mean Chloe,she's just herself

the same,old same Chloe...But who exactly is this guy and why the Instruments Of Time thing she referred messed you so much..?I'm not angry,just worried a bit,you looked so upset..."Elena said sweetly to Nate...He looked back at her with that pair of green sparkling eyes...

"I think I can dwell my past to help you understand the pattern of my behavior right now..."Nate said slowly to Elena..

"What?Please be more specific..."Elena told Nate...His words were way too confusing...

_In the meanwhile,somewhere in Amazon..._

In a dense rainforest,where the bright sun rays never touched the ground to redeem it from darkness,a young woman in her early 20's is trying to line up the lost pieces...Long,wavy hair falling up to her

shoulders,with a red color encircling them gracefully,like a camp fire to its peak...Her white milky skin seemed to totally fit the atmosphere of the forest,like she never got touched by the sun...Her black clothes were dirty,by the muddy river she had to go through a few minutes ago...

"Oh gosh..I wonder what the hell that pendulum might be useful for.."the girl monologued and sat down under a tall tree,one of the numerous the forest had..Leaving the wet backpack aside,like the rest of her body was,she took a specific thing,covered up in a small white blanket..In addition to her, who had to sink in the bathtub for many hours to take of that filthy appearance she acquired,the valuable item in her palm has remained intact...It was like a usual pendulum,with a crustal clear case around it,while in the center a tall,golden stick with an amethyst-made spherical object

stuck to its end,were both moving left and right,left and right...

"Yeah,buddy...I know what time it is,got my own clock...I really hope Father has a good excuse to send me find that antique piece of shit...Why he doesn't ever explain what the fuck I have to look for..?I almost twisted my ankle,were about to break my neck,dodged poisonous snakes to do what ?Find this?"she kept speaking fiercely to herself,when out of the sudden some gunshots were heard...

"There she is,it's Voss' daughter...Get her!"a brutal voice said from afar...She turned around only to see some ugly,muscular guys going after her...

"Oh,yeah?Do you think you can get me?I just thought how this trip will get worse...and you know what,sweetie?"the girl said,pulling out from her gun holster,a Dessert-5...

"...now I realized that it just did..Hope I make it alive like the previous time,or I'll end up in a

Brazilian hospital,all covered up with cast...I still question myself how some treasure hunters survive that short of stuff..."and from then on,Andrianna realized that any adventure you get tangled in equals with a lot,lot of damn trouble...

"Get her,you idiots..."the man screamed...

"Less thinking,more running,girl..."Andrianna said herself,as she was loading her gun,ready for any

unexpected gunfight

_Back in Florida..._

It took Nate five minutes to get back for the attic,holding tightly an old scrapbook and a photo album...It was certain by the look on his face that what he was about to reveal to Elena didn't give him much satisfaction...A dirty story was about to be told and he was pretty worried how she was going to react...Elena caught her hair in a casual ponytail,took a seat on the wooden chair,accompanied with a wooden desk and waited for Nate...In his turn,he sat next to her and opened the album,under the bright,white office lamp...

"Do you recognize these people..?"Nate asked Elena,who zoomed her eyes up on the first photo,a family portrait...

"Well,how am I supposed to,regarding the fact that I don't know a damn thing about your family.."Elena said back..Yet again,Nate pressed her to take a better look...

"Watch closely,Elena...You can find some similarities..."as Nate finished his line,Elena widened her blue eyes,unable to realize what she saw...Her gaze fell on a young boy,probably 10 years old,with brown hair,a goofy smile on his face and a pair of beautiful green eyes...The boy was...

"Gosh,the little boy here is you!Haha...!I don't believe it!You look like..now!Really,I could recognize these incredible eyes from miles away.."Elena responded in enthusiasm..These memories,another part of Nate have never been revealed to anyone else..Elena took the risk to ask..

"Has anyone seen these before..?"

"To be honest,no..I don't want to talk about it..But I thought that..you are my girlfriend and the person I trust most...So,I took the courage to show them to you.."Nate said. Elena felt relief,because that was probably a way to show her that he loved her a lot..For her,actions meant much more than words...Fake,shading words...

"Let me guess then...The tall man with the jacket is your father,Mathew,right?You are like two cloned water drops...!Wow!And that woman with the floral dress is your mother...She..."

"..She's just like you...The same hair,laugh,eyes...you look very much like her...And,trust me this is a compliment.."Nate joked,but he was hell serious..

"You loved her a lot,huh?"Elena asked Nate...

"Yeah,I did,she was the most graceful woman I've ever met,along with you of course...She supported me a lot when my father..."Nate paused for a while.

"What happened to your father,Nate?"Elena seemed to have figured out the core of Nate's troublesome thinking...

"..was murdered..."Nate said heavily voiced..Elena let the book fall and the photos were scattered...She could not believe what was so wrong...And couldn't even imagine next...


	3. Revelations of a past era

Chapter 3: Revelations of a past era

_Meanwhile,in Amazon..._

".damn again..."Andrianna said as she was running through the rusty jungle..These guys were out of the plan..A new,bad addition maybe which,if she didn't get her ass out of there,was gonna end pretty bad...

"Eat my lead,assholes!Oh,Father I think I'm gonna kill you when I get back in Dublin..."she said ,while she was firing a few more shots...Out of the sudden,her mobile phone rang...

"Argh...Now,I don't think it's the right moment for chatting,whoever you're calling me..."she said,annoyed by the ringtone sound of her mobile...It seemed though that the caller was pretty persistent,as the tone was getting louder and louder each second...

"Call the RPG's...This woman is a tough case and we can't tolerate that..."one heavy armored guy said from behind,a few meters away from her...

"Oh,no,no,no...Please not the RPGs,not the RPGs...Aren't guns that enough for you!"she shouted,while desperately looking for her cell phone...The caller she saw dropped her jaw down to the ground...She answered the call,only to say...

"Goddamn it,Father...You should have warned me,just a little bit..."

"What's going on?You seem a bit furious..."

"A bit?Only a bit?Don't you hear them..?"

"Hear who,child?"Trevor asked dumbfounded,with Chloe next on him laughing out loud..

"These guys maybe,who surely hunt my ass down...What are they after?This antique pendulum or what..?I can sent them to that old shop,two streets away from home and find whatever they like...!And tell Ms Frazer to shut the fuck up or as soon as I'll be there I'll beat the crap outta her!Thank God,at least the coordinates you gave me were right..."

"Crap,these guys were out of plan...Another nutcase guy maybe.."Chloe said from the other side of the line...

"Andrianna,I'm very glad you found it but if you wanna know what that pendulum is,you must get to Florida,where is the only person who can help us..I'll sent you the address later..."Trevor said.

"If I get myself alive..Hey,Red,start the engines..."Andrianna ordered her teammate nicknamed Red to set off the jeep and get out there.."Why in Florida?Who's there...?"

"I've a lot of faith in you,Sweetie...You can handle yourself...As who is on Florida,does the name Nathan Drake remind you something..?"Trevor asked his daughter..The truth was that Andrianna could really handle herself,after many years of combat training .But that bittersweet childhood memory, was tough to remember it that unexpectedly...

"Damn it..!"

_Florida..._

"Nate,you're not kidding,right?That's incredibly serious..It really is!"Elena told Nate..He in turn,exhaled so deeply that he thought his heart was about to pound outta his chest...He smirked only a bit,just trying to hide his hurt..But Elena wasn't dumb or stupid either to understand that this painful story was making him sad...

"It is over a decade...Yeah,I think it was..15 years actually..See,the photo here was shot one week before my father's death..."

"Oh,odd,you seem really happy here...Like,you know...A typical family,mum,dad,children...Who could even prevent next..."Elena said a bit melancholic...She thought that you shouldn't judge people before figuring out what lies beneath them...She felt embarrassed and she held Nate's hand tightly,having her eyes closed..

"Elena..."Nate said touching her cheeks..He felt something cold and wet,tears from her eyes were running like rivers down on them... "...please,don't cry...We've been through so many things to cry for these past events...OK?"Nate questioned her..In response,she gestured her head up and down..

"Fine..I'm sorry,go along..So,was your father a treasure hunter like you wasn't he?"Elena asked Nate..

"Yes,he was..And my mother was a journalist and photographer too...They both adored their jobs so much and I suppose this became their virtue and vice at the same time...See,my father died in search of these Instruments Of Time...For the story,these items,three in number,a pendulum,a spear and a hourglass are supposedly the key to control time levels..According to myths,they summon the Three Sisters Of Destiny:Lakhesis,Atropos and.."

"..Clotho?"Elena finished Nate's line..."Sorry,weren't these ancient Greek goddesses...?"

Nate shaken his head affirmatively...Elena had knowledge of Greek History..

"Yes,Elena you get them,you can only use them under certaincircumstances...Specifically,in the semi-destroyed Oracle of Delfus and only when the full moon reaches its peak..."Nate said...

"Where do you know all these things about it..?"Elena asked again

"Well,my father left his research behind..I found the files and documents on it,but never had the courage to look for them...till a few years ago...I said I will go for their hunt but then I got stuck the wish to retrieve Sir Francis' Drake coffin...My father's research had to wait for a long,long time...I almost forgot their existence..."

"And Trevor..?Where does he butt in..?"Elena said making Nate laugh..

"Hehe..You know,Father worked along with some other treasure hunters for this..They were four..Trevor Voss from Ireland,Damien Benns from Australia,Yakada Fugiho from Japan and the last one was Anrdes Guster from France...Yeah,that was the team...They all cooperated really good and the team was strong...All managed to collect a great amount of information,even the coordinates of the first item,the Pendulum Of Aeons somewhere in Amazon...Till one of them died,Damien Benns was murderred and found his body on the Michigan Lake...It was never known who did this but what they wanted were his progress in the reasearch...Three months later Trevor and Yakada were attacked and got hospitalised..Andres joined them a few weeks on...As for my father 'he kept receiving threatening notes,always unsigned and finally the terminal hit came at summer of '93,when he was assassinated by a headshot..."Nate finished his monologue..In the meanwhile Elena was looking totally astounded...These were so damn big to comprehend...

"Wow..."were her only words...

"That's why I'm so overprotective...I won't ever allow someone else I love to suffer by insane people,whether their name are Navaro or Flynn or Lazarevich...Ok?"Nate said looking Elena on the eyes...She smiled..

"Don't worry...I've coped with it..."and just when they were about to kiss,the doorbell rang...

"Always killing the mood...If it's Sully,I'll get rid of him fast..."Nate said and as the door opened a red haired girl appeared...Nate widened his eyes...

"Andrianna?Is that you?"Nate asked not believing his eyes...Andrianna was smirking

"Expecting any better company?"she said standing at the door...

"I think this is gonna take a bit longer,ain't Nate?"Elena asked from behind...

Oh crap...I'm busted...Nate thought...Now what?


	4. Never Enough

Chapter 4:Never Enough

_**Was never enough that I gave to you?**_

_**All of the horror that you've put me through.**_

_**How can I make up my mind this time?**_

_**This is were I will draw the line..**_

_**Epica - Never Enough**_

_Dublin_

"I still am not convinced...How can you be so sure that Nate will cooperate with us?From the things you've told me about his past and how his father died,I don't know yet if he will want to mess up with this case again..."Chloe openly expressed her doubts about Trevor's way of thinking..He had his back at the wall,itching his chin...His eyes were thoughtful..

"If Andrianna was saying the truth,then,yes,things are going quite good..I'm assured that Nate is going to accept...It's his father death we're talking about...We wanted to search for it,but in such things,lack of courage to dwell the past can hold you back from looking the future...You have seen him in action,haven't you Chloe?"Trevor asked his young ex-apprentice..Chloe looked at him with these huge blue eyes,deeper than the ocean..It was true but Chloe couldn't hide it..Nate was more than a co-worker in field..He was her lover twice,the reason she broke plates and glasses,the reason she took the risk and entered Shambhala...She melted her ego in order not to make him unhappy..His choice was Elena and Chloe totally accepted that and took the steps behind..She only could answer now...

"Yeah,I did...He's tough and restless and it's like...Nothing can slow him down...Or can?"Chloe asked rhetorically...

"It can..When it comes to his parents,Nate is falling to pieces...So Elena Fisher is his new girlfriend?"Trevor changed subject quickly

"Yes,she is...And they are happy together...Or at least I think they are.."Chloe answered..

"Good for him...I only hope Andrianna doesn't make any sort of quarrel with him..When she gets angry,she really gets angry..."

"What?Is there something wrong..?"Chloe asked Trevor,while he exhaled heavily..

"You could say that with ease...It's such a story..."Trevor replied back

_Florida_

In front of their apartment's door,the young and restless daughter of world famous treasure hunter Trevor Voss, Andrianna-Serena was standing still...Her filthy and wasted form,full of mud and scratches all over her clothes came in complete contrast with her face..She looked like an angel,a painting from Renaissance..Long,red hair falling down to her shoulders and a pair of bright,purple eyes..Her face characteristics were thin,her nose,her chin..Blushed cheeks..a totally white milky skin..Her athletic build..All in perfect harmony...

From back,Elena had a pretty strange look..She was wandering who that girl was and why she had so much comfort with Nate...She raised her eyebrows in question and before saying even a word,Nate approached her to explain this...wicked situation...

"Elena,I introduce you Andrianna Voss...She's ..."

"...Trevor's daughter.?"Elena caught up him with a sweet smile...She understood that this youngster maybe had a role in his life,presumably a forgotten one and a purpose to be here now...

"Yes,that's who I'm...Not filling you that much heh?I know,people keep saying stupid things about it...My face is a bit deceiving,I don't look the treasure hunter thing..But it's okay,I'm used to it...And you're..?"Andrianna asked Elena,as she entered the apartment...

"...I'm Elena Fisher,Nate's girlfriend.."she replied in such ease..Andrianna widened her eyes in surprise,while she was shaking hands with Elena,who had a very suppressed smile on her face,she had to find out more for Andrianna to smile normally...Andrianna's face was a bit threatening,like anger and hurt were caving in them...And such things don't show someone who came here for tea and cookies...Not at all...The purpose was more serious and more personal

"**The **Elena Fisher,the journalist?OhMiGosh!Shit!Now I really think Nate had gotten out of his range.."Andrianna said both in excitement and irony. For her,Elena was like an idol,she loved her style and peaceful way of speaking in front of the camera..And her show was incredibly interesting..

"Why are you saying such things,Andy?"Nate said putting his hands on her left shoulder...But Andrianna didn't like the move he did...She pulled herself angrily away...Nate and Elena were staring at her...She was looking irritated,like she didn't want to be here and the reason for this was Nate...Elena comprehended that by the way the young girl threw her eyes on Nate...

"How do you dare touching me...Do you think it's funny?Tell you what:no damn way it is!After what you did..or you didn't...!"Andrianna said in a more high pitched voice tone,her eyes were sparkling due to the sun light and were slowly getting wet...They were still looking on him..She was about to break down...To burst in tears...But she kept speaking...To let everything go...She sat on the sofa,with her shoulders hunched,before keeping up with her story..

"Elena,I know Nate since I was 5 years old...He's older than me 6 to 7 years,but it doesn't matter at all..Our parents used to be friends,close friends actually...He were having fun,so much fun..He was protecting me from everyone and I thought I found a friend..An older than me friend from whom I could get advice and ask for sanctuary to relieve my soul anytime things were getting tough and unbearable..And everything came to such a twist..."Andrianna talked and her voice was about to break in thousands of sharp pieces...

Elena went there and sat by her side...At first the girl looked enraged and ready to beat the crap out of anyone standing on her way...But now she completely changed...Above both women,Nate was standing tall...He was rubbing his forehead,apparently this showed some short of hidden guilt...The situation was getting askew and Elena tried to break the ice...

"Andrianna,you can go on...Tell me what happened next..."Elena instructed her,while she looked Nate in a sweet way,like she was telling him 'Wait for her to burst out. Then you may speak.'Elena couldn't make up her mind,she didn't know which side she should take...On the one side,was Nate,her boyfriend and the man she loved most and went through so many adventures of a lifetime,she couldn't ever forget. But on the other side there was Andrianna...A name,a stranger for her,a forgotten shadow obviously for Nate..Elena thought that it was fair to take the side of the one who was right...This was justice for everyone...For him,for Andrianna,for herself...

"My mother was murdered by strangers...The case has been investigated for two years,without evidence or proof of who did it and the purpose why,but the case got filed and stays there till now...Father got afraid,even my got threatened many times..The job we was offered at the University of Dublin came in perfect timing...He wanted to get away from everything,to start all over again..."Andrianna stopped again...Nate didn't know what to say...But he thought a bit to figure out...

"Serena,listen...I know what I did...I wasn't there to stand by your side when you needed me..."

"No,you weren't and you'll never be for no one..Even for her..."Andrianna said pointing on Elena...

"You're so wrong,Andrianna...Nate loves me..."Elena retorted back..

"It's greed he loves more,he always loved it...The treasures and the mystery and all that sort of shit!Treasure hunters don't have feelings..They only care on how to obtain what they wish for...The lust blurs their vision and don't see the real treasure in front of their eyes..Am I right,Nate?The cases are known,it happened to my parents,your parents and it will happen to me and you...We have to choose:People and love or mystery and loneliness?"Andrianna kept monologuing...She stood up and suddenly Nate got so furious because of what she was saying..She gripped her arms tightly and started shooting in front of her...

"What the fuck are you talking about,Serena?Do you think I didn't love you?But you were part of a past I tried to delete,so not to suffer anymore...My parents' death cost me so much..."Nate said,still gripping her arms..

"I haven't done anything wrong to delete me...I tried to reach you,without result...I needed you..I needed a friend so much..I was lost and all alone..."and so on she begun crying...Elena understood it was her time to intervene..She stood up,releasing Andrianna from Nate's grips...They obeyed..

"It's unfair for both to quarrel for these events..The past is gone...You both are right and wrong at the same time...First Nate wanted to go on and forget the past,but he even ditched you,without any bad reason..You are right at that point,but is it necessary to dwell back...?Let it go,it's fine...He was confussed and needed time to regain back his strength...And he did,i know he did..."Elena said..She still had that calm form and sweet voice...She created a sense of reassurance,some sort of heat and warmth inside these bleeding hearts...Both were hurt and and were beheaving without sense to each other...Andrianna came here with a fighting mood...But her face now got softer...She understood she was unfair with him...She burst into tears,as she buried her face into his chest...Nate hugged her with his arm encircling around her waist...

"I'm sorry,for all the words i've said...Anger overcame my spirit...Can we start again..?But promise you won't dump me this time...Deal?"Andrianna asked with an innocent look in her eyes.

"I promise I won't..."Nate said smilling..He let Andrianna go and gave a huge hug to Elena,kissing her forehead...

"You're a Peacemaker..."Nate told her..

"That's not such a big deal,i did what was right...And I'm not jealous if you were about to ask..."

"No?"Nate questioned her...Elena nodded negatively...

In the meanwhile,Andrianna searched her backpack and in a few minutes,she revealed the marvelous object she hid in there...

"After the soap opera hour,I think it's time to go on to something more serious...Do you recognize it?"Andrianna asked as she let it down on the table...

"The Pendulum of Aeons,I suppose?"Elena asked as Nate was still hugging her...

"Hey,you're stealing my job..."Nate said annoyed...

"No,I'm not..."Elena retorted...

"Guys,get serious...Does this thing have a name too?Anyway this is the key to a new adventure I suppose...Will you come in?"Andrianna asked the couple in front of her eyes...Nate thought for a while before answering...

"Yes,we will.."and from then on,Nate got himself back in action,but this time this adventure is more personal...The path to discover the reason behind his father's death was in front of him..And this time,he wasn't going to get his steps back...

_A few hours later..._

Elena was alone in the apartment,Nate and Andrianna were gone to the public library...And she was expecting anxiously the results of the test...One minute for such test seemed so long...And then what...What was she going to do if this was positive...?How was Nate going to react?For her,if this test turns out positive she will get happy...Very happy...But he..?

She did it...She looked on the stick...

And it was positive...

Elena was pregnant...

"Now what?"she thought...


	5. Familiar Voices Of Pain

Chapter 5:Familiar voices of pain

A child.

This wasn't something small .It was a huge responsibility,a commitment for both to love,care for and guide it to the right ways and territories...

Elena was all by herself in the house and her eyes got stuck to that particular test,she was gripping in her palms...

She begun to cry,both in joy and desperation...Half her heart was happy .She always loved children and wanted to have her own offsprings,when the time got to be right...And it was now..She has found the right man,who was offering her love,support and protection and felt that she's been through many different adventures,that she got to be mature enough to make her own family...

But what about him?She wasn't fully sure that Nate could harmonize with her train of thoughts...How she was supposed to say such a thing?

_I don't think I should tell him straight way...But if I tell it another way,how he'll figure out that I'm pregnant?Men aren't the smartest creatures when it comes to serious stuff...Maybe someone else can help me...There is only one person in this planet who can tell things to him and still have the brain to its place...And this person is Sully..._

Elena did think rough and hard in order to get to a conclusion..But as she grabbed the phone to call Sully,a very suspicious sound was heard..Something that made Elena stay alert...The anxiety led her to moves spasmodic and pointless..One of them was to place the pregnancy stick test on the plant next to the couch...She saw shadows,black,ghost-like shadows..Fear settled in...And before even dialing Nate's number,her scream was heard...It echoed without respond,till men spoke heavily...

"Be careful with her...She's pretty sensitive...Mrs Fisher is the best part of my plan...And I don't want it wreked...If I want this to work..."a voice said...It sounded very vicious...And such a tone doesn't come up with the best intentions...

Elena was sweating...A guy strained her with his arms and took her away,as she watched the view of her house fading away...Terror was reflecting though her eyes...What was about to follow was uncertain...

_A few hours later..._

"God,I'm so tired..."Andrianna said as she opened her mouth to yawn...

"No worries,you'll stay here for the night...Elena won't have a problem..."Nate said as he was looking nervously in his handbag to find his keys..This always was a bad trouble to him...When he finally found them he smiled amazed...

"I finally found them..."he said

"Oh,what an achievement...I'm so impressed..."Andranna said sarcastically...

"You wish..."Nate replied...He unlocked and opened the door...

"Elena?Elena?"Nate shouted her name twice without response..._It's odd...If she was in the house __she would have replied and before leaving with Andrianna she said she won't be leaving..._

"Where is Elena?"Andrianna asked Nate...He couldn't reply...He didn't know...

"I don't have the fainest idea..."Nate replied

"Don't worry,Nate...She must have gone around the neighborhood for a walk...She'll be back soon.."Andrianna tried to quieten Nate...He seemed a bit nervous...

"Guess you're right..."Nate said calmed...As he went to leave the books on the coffee table,his gaze fell on the small flower pot next to the couch...The petals of the flower were no longer that bright orange they had one week ago...

"Poor plant..."Andrianna said sadly...

"I supppose Elena forgot to water it...I'll do it..."

"Careful...So many achievements can make you tired..."Andrianna said ironically...

"Why such irony,kiddo..?"Nate said annoyed

"I've learned from the best...Whoa,hold on!What's that?"she said making Nate change direction...As he was about to go to the kitchen,he turned back in the living room...

"What?"Nate questioned...

Andrianna searched thru the leaves to discover the white stick...With careful moves she pulled it out...

"This one..."

"What's this...?A white stupid stick with a plus symbol on it...So what?"Nate said indifferently,but Andrianna had another opinion about it...

"Heck,do you have any idea what that is?"Andrianna asked Nate...She discovered what the matter for the stick was all about

"No,I don't but you're pretty excited and smart to tell me so..."

"This. Is. A. Pregnancy. Test."Andrianna said smiling

"Stop. That. Really?The plant got pregnant?"Nate inquired dumbfounded..

"Jesus,you got junked up,you stupid..!Of course not,Nate..!It's Biology besides,simple Biology,for God's sake!Plants can't do that!But mammals like human beings do!"Andrianna replied back...Nate's question really killed her off...He answered smiling something she would ever,never imagine...

"You sly girl..."Nate said and that was the cherry in the top of the pie,which totally made Andrianna pissed off..She gave him a very angry,furious look in his eyes..

"NO FUCKING WAY THINKING THAT!DO YOU REALLY THINK THAT I WOULD BE FUCKING ABLE TO CROSS SO MANY FUCKING MILLES FROM HOME TO HAVE A FUCKING PREGNACY TEST IN FUCKING FLORIDA,HUH!IS THAT NORMAL?"Andrianna said shouting with all the power her lungs had...Nate raised his hands up like he was surrendering...

"I like it when you get angry...Red is your color.."Nate said laughing out loud..

"I'll tell you something that will cut your laughing like a knife...Let's take it from the beginning..PLANTS DON'T GET PRENGANT AND I'M NO PRENGANT...SO...Nate,congratulations,you'll be a father in nine months or less..."Andrianna said what she had to say...Nate kept laughing even more...

"God,nice joke!Do you have others?"Nate was behaving childish...

"Yes,I do...Elena is pregnant..."Andrianna said the thing he had to hear in order to set him back to reality...As Nate heard that,his blood went cold...This was the last kind of news he expected to hear...

"You can't be kidding,right?"Nate said fully unable to believe Andrianna...But before she managed to speak,someone came in...

"You may believe it,Mr Drake..."the man said,pointing Nate's head with a gun...Nate felt the cold metal of the pistol at the back of his head,as two men came and grabbed Andrianna..

"What's going on here?Who are you?"Nate asked the tall muscular guy...He was bald with numerous tattoos all over his body...

"No questions now...But you better cooperate with me...I've got something very important of yours..."the guy threatened...He only turned his back to allow Nate to figure out the precious thing he was talking about...And he saw Elena...

"Elena!"he screamed..A rush of blood to the head made him fall on the bald guy and started punching him...In the meanwhile Andrianna was trying unsuccessfully to escape as she received a very strong kick to her stomach,leaving her semi-unconscious...Nate didn't have any better luck...The guy took control and threw Nate to the mirror on the wall...The mirror broke and hundreds pieces of glass fell down,wounding Nate's arm...From this small wound,blood begun running down his palm...He moaned in pain..The guy ordered some men to come and hold him down as his phone rang...He opened it and after reading the message,he laughed menacingly...

"Your father,Miss Voss is in our control now and it's only a matter of time to discover Miss Frazer too...She escaped but not for long...Get them to the car.."the guy ordered..

Nate,Elena and Andrianna were led to the car...As they sat on the seats Nate begun speaking...

"So you're pregnant?"he asked Elena who was sunk in silence...

"Yes,I am...Andrianna really helped me a lot with you know...saying to you...So,how are you feeling.?"Elena asked Nate,with her voice shaking...

"Numb?Strange?Dunno how to describe it...And it's ours right?"Nate said very anxious...

"Of course it is.."Elena said..

_Of course...Heck,what are we doing now?We are in a car full of baddies and talk about a baby...At least,this explains the vomits and dizziness for the last couple of weeks...I thought it was just a stomach bug,a flu...It has the same symptoms and yet when you get cured,you never understand how you got sick...But pregnancy?And it's not that now...What happened to Trevor and Chloe?And who is behind all these,surely not that macho guy,he has so much muscle to leave space for his mind..._

In the meanwhile,Andrianna was sitting silent next to Elena...Her thoughts were settled to her father...She was afraid that something might have happened to him,something bad...Plus,Problems with his heart didn't allow space for such pleasant meetings like this one...

"Where is my father?"she asked the bald guy...He didn't reply at first,but then poisonous words started coming out from his mouth...

"Young lady,don't be afraid about him...He'll be with us soon...He's coming from Ireland to meet up with his old friend..."he replied...Then again,she wasn't convinced that much...The bald guy begun speaking again...

"Hope you know how this works..."he said lifting up the Pendulum Of Aeons...

"So this was the target from the beginning,huh?"Elena asked...

"Yes,indeed..."

Nate looked outside...He noticed airplanes landing...

"The airport?What the hell are we doing here?"Nate asked the driver...

"Easy,Mr Drake...Everything will be answered in time..Just be calm and don't try anything clever..Or you know who will pay the price of your bravery actions..."he threatened,pointing a gun on Elena's forehead...This was incredibly tempting for him...

"If you even think touching even a hair from her head again,I promise I'll kill you and bury you with my own palms..."Nate said enraged...The guy took the gun away...He laughed...

"Always threatening...It's the easy way,ain't it?"he guy kept provoking Nate..

"Oh,yeah,look who is talking..."Nate replied back...Again Elena started speaking again..

"You better stop now...You do what he wants you to do!Isn't that obvious that he is daring you..?He wants you pissed off,so you can cooperate easier..."Elena advised him,but Nate was way too stubborn to obey...

"And do what,Elena?Letting him playing us like pawns..?"Nate replied furiously...

"No,just stop,OK?"Elena ordered him...Nate looked her in the eyes..She was afraid and not sure about what was about to follow...

"Elena,about the pregnancy,I..."Nate begun as the car brakes were heard...

"We're here..."the bald guy said...They stopped in front of a small jet...Once they got out of the car and started walking to the jet,Andrianna expressed her suspicions openly...

"Nate,did you realize what the female Lisbeth Salander said before?"Andrianna asked him

"Yes,he said an old friend of your father's..."Elena replied...This put Nate in thinking...

"Do you suggest that the guy who brought us here is knowledgeable about the Instruments Of Time thing?"Elena asked Andrianna...

"I'm not suggesting...I'm sure bout it..."Nate said...The trio entered the jet always accompanied by baddies...A luxourious jet with blue seats was revealed in front of their eyes...

"Your boss is pretty rich,huh...?"Nate asked as he was gazing the interior of the jet...But his amazement didn't last long as they were made to seat in some seats...But they were not alone...

"Father?"Andrianna asked in surprise as she saw her father's eyes,tired and full of uncertainty and fear...

"Oh child...Are you all right?Nathan...What an awkward way to meet with each other after so many years..."Trevor said happily...

"What happened to you?Where's Chloe?"Nate asked in agony...

"We were at home,when some guys entered...Chloe was in the bathroom...When she attempted to go out,I instructed her to leave,to escape...She was gone from the bathroom window,but these baddies realized her presence...I don't know next...But I'm sure that the man who brought us here has to do with the Instruments Of Time..."

"You're right...I've to do do with it...Trevor,Andrianna and Nathan know that very well..."an old voice was heard...The quartet turned it face to see a man in his late 40s with graying hair and a pair of blue eyes...He had a huge scar in his left arm and was holding a stick...

"Andres?Is that you?"Trevor asked totally surprised...

"Yes,it's me...And after the typical,I want to get to the main point...Shall we..?"he asked them...They knew that no wasn't the right answer to his question...

_A few months later_

Elena was standing in front of the mirror...She was staring at her hair which were caught up in a very complex yet beautiful ponytail..The rest of her head was decorated with flowers,white ones...Then her look went down...To the long ,beautiful,dress she was wearing...She looked like an angel...Even the size of her belly was making her even more cute...It was true:Pregnancy was making women sweeter...

But why such dress up...?Every woman deserves to look gorgeous in their wedding day ,aren't they?And Elena managed to do that in a way she would ever imagine she could...


	6. A Hunt Begins With The Worst Intensions

Chapter 6: A Hunt Begins...With The Worst Intensions

"So,you're the one behind all these..?Should have known earlier.."Nate said,as he chuckled...He looked at Andres...He still had that form,that smile,an evil smile,which could make you rush away to the nearest possible corner...

Andres Guster was one of the last alive crew members of the Instruments of Time case,along with Trevor and Yakada...And the most ruthless of them all...

"What do you want from us?Didn't that case cause enough pain to me,to my daughter and Nathan as well?Why are you looking it up again?"Trevor said...

"I think you're wrong...You're the one who put Nathan and Andrianna into that toll again and I'm just completing the task...Anyway,I would like to thank you for saving me time and strength...I couldn't ever do this without your help..."Guster said sarcastically...Nate gave him a very angry look...If his eyes could change color,probably could turn into a furious red...Elena looked at him,full of sweetness...She started stroking his shoulder...In the meanwhile,Trevor enclosed into his arm his daughter...Guster saw the actions of each person...He revealed a half smile...

"Protecting the ones you love...You,Trevor are trying to protect Andrianna,not to dwell on something risky and dangerous such this...And you miss Fisher,are trying to defend Nate from attempting anything stupid...Useless..."he added...This last line made Nate so enraged that he got up from his seat only to unsuccessfully punch Guster...But the bald guy appeared again,grabbing him by the neck...The others got up as well fearfully...With Nate neutralized,Andres approached him in the face...He smiled again...Using his club,he lift up the ring around Nate's neck...

"Now I remember that...Your father used to hear it...And now it's yours...You inherited the ring and your father's impulsiveness as well...A father's son...Raoul,let him down..."Andres instructed...Opening his palm,he let him go and Nate started coughing...

"That's a really nice name for your pet,but I want to comment on what you said before...It doesn't matter who really set the Instruments Of Time on talking mood again,but I'm reassured that Trevor would never reopen it for bad purpose...And don't dare play yourself dumb...You're the reason the mission stopped..."Nate implied,but Andres didn't seem to enjoy the whole conversation...

"Enough,stupid boy!"Andres said,as he slapped Nate,and left quickly...A few blood drops were running down his lips...Elena tried to keep herself calm...She rushed next to him,who got knoked down on the floor...Trevor and Andrianna were just looking...Out of the sudden,a very familiar female voice was heard...It sounded pissed off and fuzzy...

"Get your hands of me!"the woman said...The voice was coming closer and seemed more familiar...

"Don't tell me it's Chloe..."Elena said somewhat unrelieved...Andrianna,even in this rough moment didn't lose the chance and threw an ironic remark,like Nate usually does...

"Ooohh,yeah!Sorry to disappoint you,but yes..It's Chloe..."Andrianna said,making Elena chuckle...As she was rolling her eyes,the baddies brought Chloe into the plane...As Chloe saw them,she got laughing...

"Two lovebirds,a daddy's girl and the aforementioned daddy...So what's next?Is Celine Dion coming in wearing a gown and sing?"Chloe said...Her forehead was full of scratches...And her dence black hair were such a mess...Like the rest she sat down...

"Bad move to get the first plane and come to Florida...They followed my tracks...Shit!Do you have any idea who is behind all this crap?"Chloe asked but no one seemed comfortable to give her an answer...

"Well,silence is affirmative,so tell me who is that junked human being who hunted my ass all over the fucking Atlantic to bring me where?In an airplane!Ain't that stupid...?Who is he..?If I discover him,he'll see how it is to be a Smurf...He's gonna get blue by beating the crap outta him..."Chloe inquired again...In the meanwhile Andres was standing behind her back,with the others watching him...The scene was a mix of laughing and crying...Chloe childishly was trying to Guess-The-Man while menacingly Andres was looking at her...

"Chloe..?"Nate said first..Elena helped him got up...

"I knew it..!Don't you have any manners,you idiot.!It was only a phone-call try ...Not to behave like this.."Chloe replied irritated...

"Beg your pardon?Not even thinking that...It's not my type to welcome people or to call people like that..."Nate said a bit annoyed...

"Chance one gets an X..."Andrianna said...

"Chloe..?"Elena said second...

"I know what my name is..."Chloe said ironically...Trevor brought the group back to reality...

"Turn your head around,Chloe..."Trevor instructed her...Chloe,struggling to figure out who that person was and stop this pointless game,she obeyed...As she saw Andres,she got terrified in an unexpected way...

"What?Now I really bet Gary Oldman made a better Dracula than him..?Go back to Romania,boy...Your Transylvania tower misses you a lot..."Chloe wittily said,not figuring out the seriousness of the situation...

"Miss Frazer...You all make a really nice company... You're young,beautiful,smart...But I really am sorry to screw this amazing moments,in which you had fun of me but there is not much time available...Here is the deal...I give you two weeks to find the other Instruments of Time...And your prize are to get away alive..."Andres said...Still,Nate had a lot of questions and doubts...

"There's one thing you haven't answered us yet...Why such obsession with them...?And why now?"still there were some things that Nate couldn't understand completely...Trevor thought a bit before answering...

"Nathan,I was always obsessed with them,if you put it that way...It was your father's fault which led me here...If he hadn't stopped this mission at first hand,now everything would be just fine...And he would be alive...But,news kept spreading around in our field,that Trevor Voss begun again the hunt for the Instruments of Time...I couldn't just sit down...And I was assured that he was going to ask for your help..."Andres said...Nate's mind got stuck in one particular phrase...One thing this man hinted making various theories dancing inside Nate's mind...

_If he hadn't stopped this mission at first hand,now everything would be just fine..._

_And he would be alive..._

"_He did it...He killed my father...Why I was so stupid?Of course..!The endless quarrels and my father's decision to stop this job once and forever enraged Andres...He murdered him and took the leadership...He also tried to make the others to follow him,without their help the mission was a loss...The didn't obey and since they were no use anymore,he decided to kill them...He was successful in all of them,except Trevor...Trevor's wife however paid the prize...Sofia..."_Nate's train of thoughts was going in a quite good pace...Elena noticed that he was a bit lost...

"Nate?"she asked him...His head was bowed down and slowly started rising back again...The look on his face didn't seem good...Not at all...He threw it at Andres,who was smiling...

"You were behind the murders...You build up a whole organization and tried to kill the crew members of the Instruments Of Time mission...You wanted revenge...Because the assignment got ruined and wrecked your ambitious career...You made it...You killed them all...My father and his wife are among them..."Nate said,the word were coming out restrained...The truth was incredibly hard to realize...

Elena was in a complete shock...Her gray eyes were widened...Trevor and Andrianna had a very weird look,similar with Nate's...Chloe didn't know what to think...

"Congratulations,Nathan...Your mind's in good shape..."Andres replied...Nate found out the truth...

"Don't tell me it's true,Nate...Just don't.."Andrianna pleaded,a few tears shedding down her cheeks ...Nate gave her an honest look...

"No...No,no,no,no,no..."Andrianna kept repeating...Trevor embraced her in his lap,as painful sobs were coming out her...In the meanwhile,Nate was sitting between Chloe and Elena...In a flash,he furiously got up and this time grabbed Andres by the neck and stroke him at the other wall of the plane...Nate was in a state in which Elena hadn't seen him before...Neither Chloe...

"You...Consider your pity self as a dead man...You will die now...And pay for all the pain..!DO YOU HEAR ME?ANSWER,GODDAMN IT!"Nate was incredibly angry..He was like a crazy flame...Nothing could calm him down...Andres laughed...He nodded Raul to come...In turn,the pet came and grabbed Nate once again...

"You all listen to me...I give you two weeks to hand me the Instruments Of Time...But to make sure the job is done right,I have one condition..."Andres spoke out loud...

"You?Conditions?Who the hell you think you are and ask that kind of stuff?"Nate irronicaly commented,still in Raul's hands...

"Nate,Andrianna and Miss Frazer...The job will be done the way I want to...Cause I'll take Miss Fisher and Trevor as hostages...I think is a good incentive to cooperate,right?"Andres said...They all widened their eyes,unable to believe what he asked...

"Go to hell,asswipe...Tell you what...No way I work for you...After what I found out,you must be really stupid to think that.."Nate said...

"No,Nate...You'll do it cause if you don't you'll find yourself leaving flowers in her grave...The same goes for you,Andrianna..."Andres threatened...Elena,in the meanwhile,was sunk in thinking...

"I'll do it..."she slowly said...Nate was dumbfounded...

"Elena,no...You won't do that...I won't allow it..."Nate shouted...Andres found interesting that turn of events..He didn't think that Elena was too easy to agree...Neither did Nate...Then,Trevor got up and nodded positively...Andrianna and Chloe got up in question of their actions...

"Father,are you crazy?He killed Mum...!Have you noticed that?And now what?Are you going to work for him?Stay as a hostage while you throw me in the hole with the lions?"Andrianna asked...Her father had a different opinion,however...

"It's the only way to end this madness,my dear...Melt your ego...It's the best for all of us..."Trevor looked at her eyes..The color of them was able to make even the violets feel ashamed...Andrianna gazed his in return...He was very sure of what he said and what he was about to do...But she had a lot of doubts...This was serious and she had to discuss it with her father...But before asking for some time to conversate about it,Nate caught her up...

"Just let me do one thing before say yes and then kill you...Let me talk to her..."Nate said but he looked more like pleading for it...His eyes were glowing like they were begging for the positive answer...Elena couldn't understand that kind of behavior...

The truth was that after the grenade shrapnel back in Shambhala a few months ago,Nate became overprotective with Elena...He couldn't even think her and imagine her being in danger...The incident in Tibet really terrified him very much,that he thought this was a feeling of odd bitterness and sadness he never ever tasted before...It was his fault that she reached the point of close-to-death state and he was determined to never allow that again...

And now what she was doing?She was risking her life for a hunt,a hunt which may lead nowhere and put lives in danger...The problem this time was even bigger,due to the fact that Elena was pregnant...

But this was the way to show their love for each other...

They never said in words how much they loved each other and how strong and unbreakable the bond seemed between them...But their actions prove that the best way,no words can express...The wish to sacrifice their selves made this love seem taken out from a fairytale or a Hollywood film...But no...This existed...And it was build to last...

Andres accepted...He saw that love Nathan hid deep inside his heart for that woman...He wasn't saying it but his attitude towards her was screaming out loud the feelings he was enclosing...He nodded Raul to leave Nate down...In turn,Andres' finger pointed on Chloe...Raul picked her up...

"Hey,I don't wanna miss this..."Chloe shouted as Raul took her...

"It's not you business,Miss Frazer...Besides there are some story holes over here that you must fill in,right?"Andres questioned her...Chloe rolled her eyes...

"Fine.."she answered...

"But who are you?"she inquired him,making the others laugh...

"Why are you laughing?I wasn't there from the from the first place..."Chloe's final words were heard before fading as well as Andres' warning...

"5 minutes,no second more..!"he said...Around the plane,many of his goons were surrounding the plane...

"Don't even think that,Nate.."Andrianna swiped him of his feet...Nate's marvelous mind was already plotting ways to escape...

"No,don't..Don't...And just don't..."Elena pressed...She was looking pretty upset and sad...Nate came closer to her...He placed his hands on her shoulders...

"Elena,why you said yes?This journey is incredibly dangerous...And besides I don't think I want to work with him,after what I found out..."Nate confessed...His breathing was pretty heavy...

"Nate.."Elena said,looking at his eyes...She suddenly buried her head into his chest...He could smell the flowery scent coming out from her hair...He started stroking them...They were pure and so soft,like clouds...

"Ssshhh...What's the matter?Tell me,babe.."he instructed her...She in turn lifted her head up to see him face to face...

"I understand how much this hurts you,your father's death...Take the chance to go and see if what your father died for was worth the risk,and the pain and the blood and everything else..."she said as she begun crying...Nate was speechless...He never thought that Elena had such a sensitive side...

"And lose you again?"Nate questioned...

"You won't lose me...It will be better to stay here...Pregnant women must not get messed up in gunfights and stuff..."Elena said...The pregnancy...Nate hadn't the vital time to think of it...

"Of course,the pregnancy..."Nate said low-voiced...His pitch nearly disappointed Elena...

"You don't want it..?The child..?Right?"she asked him...

"No way I say that..!It's just...I'm afraid...I've put your life in danger many times...And what about that child...?It's dangerous for treasure hunters to have children.."Nate kept up...Till Trevor interrupted...

"You shouldn't think that way...I almost made the mistake to tell that...But you know what..?"Trevor stopped for a while pulling Andrianna closer to him..

"She's my greatest treasure..."he finally said,looking full of pride his 21-years old daughter...

"I never regretted the decision to become a parent.."Trevor told Nate...Still Nate was doubtful..Trevor figured that out...

"Yes,it's risk...Danger is all around...But in time you'll understand that this child will be your greatest adventure..."Trevor said smiling

Nate took a look at both father and daughter...In front of his eyes,there was the brightest proof that treasure hunters can have families...The youngster girl was the example of a child who grew up normally and learned to fight and not be afraid...But Nate wasn't Trevor...He was someone completely different...Trevor cut in..

"I'm sure you'll make great parents..."

"Really?"Nate asked,Elena still in his arms...

"Yes,Nate...You'll be a great dad...You have loyalty and determination to the ones you love..I know that very well..."Elena said...She put her hands in his cheeks...She smiled grace fully at him...She looked so beautiful...She in fact was the light in his dark life...

"Let's have a baby then...!"Nate said laughing,trying to pace down his nervousness the whole pregnancy state has caused him... He suddenly took up Elena and embraced her in the air as her giggle was heard...The decision made her happy and if she was happy,then Nate had no other offense but to be happy too...

When he let her down,Nate got serous again..."But we'll come back to get you out of his hands,I promise that.."Nate said

"He always wants to be heroic..."Elena commented...She rolled her eyes before Andrianna came to answer...

"I agree with him..."she said making Elena chuckle...

"Is the Superhero club here or something?Whatever,I don't think I can change your mind at all,but don't go for something stupid...Or I'll kill you..."she said,pointing at Nate and making Trevor laugh...

"You wish...Are you sure you'll be alright?"Nate asked them again...

"We'll take care of each other...I'm too old to go for that hunt..."Trevor tried to make things sound better...

"You sound like Sully...I can envision him saying 'Kid,I'm too old for this bullshit'..."Nate said mimicking Sully's gruff voice...The others laughed...

The atmosphere got wrecked...A guy got in...

"Time's up,Mr Drake.."he said...The order made them come out...Chloe joined their group...Andres approached Nate..He has holding a folder and the Pendulum Of Aeons...He handed them to Nate...

"Here...There is all the information you'll need...Two weeks notice...And remember...I'll watch closely your every move...And you know what happens to the ones who betray me..."Andres threatened...

"Heard of that before..."Nate said...Andres along with his goons took Trevor and Elena back into the plane...Before she turned her head,Elena gave Nate a last look...A small tear shed down her left cheek...She couldn't leave...Trevor spoke...

"Let's go,Elena"he instructed her...She could do nothing more,but obey...

"Once you get them,you'll find me in my house at Miami.."Andres added...

The plane got its engines started...Nate turned his back and spoke with Chloe and Andrianna...

"Was that a bad deal..?"Chloe asked..

"No.."Nate tartly replied...

"What about Trevor and Elena?"she asked...

"We'll get them...In a few days...The plan is this..:We get them back and then we go by ourselves for the hunt..."Nate revealed his plan...

"But honestly Nate?He won't sit hands crossed.."Chloe told him,as the plane took off...

"I know...But I have to risk it..."Nate said...

"That's what I was expecting to hear...!"Chloe said full of enthusiasm...

"Did he fill you in?"Andrianna asked Chloe...

"Sure,he did...I knew it was a nutcase..."

"How did you know?"Andrianna asked again...

"I don't remember a time in my life working with normal people..Why this must change now?"Chloe replied ironically..."So Nate,do you have something lined up...?"

"Yes,but first we call Sully...We are gonna need help on this one..."

"On which?"Andrianna asked...

"Getting your father and Elena back...I won't do a thing before I get them back...Got it?"Nate asked both women...

"Sure!"they replied

"To Sully's bar then!"Andrianna shouted...

_A few days later.._

In an isolated villa in Miami,gunshots were echoing around...Things were going bad...

Nate and Elena were covered behind a huge pillar,while baddies were shooting at them...

"I've warned you...Don't do something stupid...But what you did,disobedient male?"Elena was angry with Nate...This wasn't exactly the rescue plan neither she nor Nate had in mind...

"Be careful,Nate..."she warned him as he got out of cover from the pillar...

"I always am..."he wittily replied...

"It's the 654th time I hear that..."

"Still long way to make them 1000?"Nate said

"Shut it,Nate"Elena told him...From the upper balcony,Andres appeared,noticing the couple...He ordered his goons...

"GET THEM!"he ins,pointing down at them...

"You have got to be kidding me.."Nate said...Things got pretty shity now...He had to find a way to get out of there...Fast...


	7. Planning and Organizing

Chapter 7: Planning And Organizing

It was Nate's urgent call which was about to lead Sully to the small apartment the couple lived in. Although Nate did not explain further the reasons of calling Sullivan, his voice tone and the "emergency" word in one of the sentences he said, made Victor get assured that his protégé did not call him for fun.

"I really can't leave him alone for a minute, can I?" Sully cursed himself as he turned on the engines of his car. He didn't know what the matter was all about ,but he was sure as hell that he wasn't going to like it…

In the meanwhile , Nathan and the other two women were waiting Sully in Nate's house. After fixing all the mess the ambush Andres' men accomplished a few hours ago, including picking up all the broken mirror pieces, Nate tried to put the files of the expedition he found in an order. His hands were making hurried moves and his breathing got jogged up. He felt so screwed right now. Chloe and Andrianna were watching him silently, as he forcefully was trying to tidy this shit up. The library was full of folders and pictures and papers…

"Okay…" Nate said, slowly exhaling out. He turned to see the two human, who were sitting quietly on the sofa, doing nothing at all. He ,in turn, sat down next to them.

"Come on, Nate…It's gonna be fine." Chloe attempted to calm him down. Andrianna smiled next to him and she added…

"Sure, all three of them will be fine. We will get there and bail their asses out." By hearing this, Chloe felt like her ears misunderstood. No, they didn't…

"Three? Andrianna, it was only Elena and your father Andres got as hostages .Who was the third one? Casper?" Chloe asked the young woman. Andrianna looked at Nate. She smiled cunningly.

"I think he can explain better." she replied. Chloe gazed at Nate.

"What you can explain me better, Nate?" the Aussie asked her former companion. Nate didn't speak, his hands were brushed through his brown hair. Only after a deep breath, he replied.

"She is right, they are three." Nate said low-voiced. And he continued…

"Elena is pregnant."

"See?I told you it was three!"Andrianna said, but Chloe didn't pay that much attention to her. Her brain was processing the information she heard.

"Really? I mean…You were planning having a kid? Sounds pretty odd, cause it seemed like both of you were too free-lanced to have a baby now…"Chloe asked him .She wasn't jealous of Elena having Nate. No. But, instead, she felt concerned for both of them. For Elena, getting tangled up in this weird situation, while bearing a child and Nate, who seemed to be a bit too reckless to take up the role of a father.

"No, we didn't. It just…happened." Nate raised his hands indifferently.

"And?" Chloe pressed .She was trying to dig into Nate's mind. She didn't have the fainest idea where this might lead her, but something inside her led her to give it a try.

"And what?" Nate asked in question.

"Are you ready to become a father? Do you accept the pregnancy?" the dark-haired woman retorted. Andrianna got up from the sofa and she looked at Nate .Nate stared at both women, like they were hanging from his lips and lingering his answer.

He could not answer, the doorbell rang furiously .Andrianna rushed and opened the door. A man with mustache appeared

"I suppose you are Mr. Sullivan." she said. Sully was looking in question. How the hell that girl knew who he was?

"Yes, I am. Who are you and where is Nate?" Sully asked the youngster. She was looking at Sully with these bright, purple eyes and she was smiling very happily.

Although the situation was very harsh, Andrianna was trying to keep herself in a good mood, in order to adjust to any circumstance she might need to get into.

"Hello, my name is Andrianna and I am an old friend of Nate's. It's a pleasure to meet you , Mr. Sullivan!" the young woman replied happily. She shaked hands with the middle-aged man.

"Nice to meet you too , kid." Sully replied stepping inside the house. His eyes fell on Nate, who was sitting at the couch with Chloe next to him.

"Sully ! Thank God you came!" Nate shouted as his mentor came in. Chloe got up from the sofa too. She looked at Sully as Nate started to explain him the situation. He seemed very worried about Nate. Like a father was worried for its son. It was true then. Sully was a true mentor to Nate and even more, his greatest father figure. Chloe slowly turned her eyes on Andrianna. She looked happy before and now she seemed sad and gloomy. She approached her and put her palm on the top of the youngster's shoulder.

"Are you okay? You seem completely transformed…" Chloe inquired Andrianna. Her huge, purple eyes met Chloe's bright, blue ones.

"Although I try to seem so, it seems I can't do it the right way, do I? I'm very worried about my father and Elena." Andrianna replied. Chloe thought that she was playing sequences in repeat. But Andrianna's words had a very different weight.

"We all are .But since I've been in the field more years than you and having been through many weird adventures, I can assure you that everything will be okay. Both Trevor and Elena are strong, if you get my point." Chloe retorted back with a calm voice.

"I do get your point .But you don't seem to get mine. Andres is ruthless. He won't stop at nothing until he possesses the Instruments of Time. He already got halted once and I don't suppose he will give himself a second chance to fail again .And if his possibilities to win include getting rid of human hinders out of his way ,he will do" Andrianna replied but as Chloe was about to tell a thing, Sully interrupted.

"That's a hell of a story." Sully said surprised, while Nate went to his desk. Both Chloe and Andrianna laughed. The moment was awkward. That was a hell of a story but in a completely different way .A bad way.

"Hello, Aussie! How's going?" Victor asked Chloe.

"Nah, the usual easy-peasy shit. Nutcase guys, exploring and stuff" Frazer replied, while Sully's look fell on Andrianna.

"Are you Trevor's daughter?" Sully asked Andrianna, pointing at her. Andrianna was in confusion.

"Me? Yeah ,I am. You know my father? " she questioned Sully .He smiled .Chloe was looking curious.

"Well, I do. I met him many years ago. We worked together in one or two heists. Very good guy but a bit too fussy. No offence, of course." Sully said in defense.

"None taken! My father was always like that, but my mother was a bit more free-lanced kind of woman. Apparently I got it from her." Andrianna said smiling, full of pride. Nate coughed and all turned their heads to him.

"Could you please stop chit-chatting and held me a bit over here?" Nate said nervously. Not wanting to piss him off, the others obeyed.

Nate's state of mind seemed so messed up. He was at a complete loss. It was like the dream he kept watching the last few days .Being in a dense forest and vines wrapped around his legs and slowly swallowing him under. He couldn't sleep the last few days and always was waking up red and sweaty, with Elena's graceful eyes watching over him, her glare mixed with worry and terror, seeing her soul mate like that. Sully, Chloe and Andrianna were staring at him. He wasn't through a little in the last few hours. Learning that your beloved girlfriend is expecting your child and then getting kidnapped in her own will. Hell, such things can happen in two cases: if you are in a movie and if you are Nathan Drake.

"Listen, kid…"Sully said as he went next to his protégé. He sat at the chair's shoulder and started gearing up for his encouragement speech. The other two women were watching him carefully.

"I know that you are worried. But I also know how much you love Elena and that you will do anything for her, right?" Sully asked Nate.

"Yes, I will. I love both of them." Nate replied.

"Both? Kid, you've lost it completely! We are talking about Elena!" Sully retorted confused.

"He is not talking about my father. Elena is pregnant. What the hell is going on with me today ,I seem to be the one spreading that kind of news." Andrianna started monologuing. Chloe gave her a pissed off look.

"Are you satisfied now! I wanted to say that to Sully! I wanted to be the one making him take that face." Chloe pouted.

"Oh, come on now. For God's sake! Stop being a kid!" Andrianna said mockingly, making Chloe get angry.

"Really, Nate? How this happened?" Sully asked the most predictable question popping from his mind.

"I think that question takes the first position on the list "Top 50 Most Cliché Questions You Will Hear In Your Entire Life."" Chloe said.

"Agreed!" Andrianna replied. They made a high-five. Sully and Nate gave them the weird looks.

"That's what I call Girl Power…" Andrianna replied. Sully got his attention back to Nate.

"How are you feeling about it? Knowing you, that pregnancy news must have been a lightning storm into sunshine…" Sully told his student. Nate smiled

"You know me so damn well, good old man…And since you heard that news too, can we proceed? We must start planning and organizing a rescue mission, wouldn't we?" Nate tried to skip the subject. If he started talking about this at that time being, it was certain that they could reach into headaching brainstorming and waste vital time. Nate's mind was way too blur now to discuss it right now. Besides, that mattered Elena too and she was the first one Nate should talk with about the baby.

"Damn straight!" Chloe shouted.

"Absolutely!" Andrianna added.

"But promise me something, Serena!" Chloe told Andrianna. The girl lifted her shoulders.

"Whatever!" she replied.

"Let me have the joy of telling Cutter the news of Elena's pregnancy. It will be shitloads of fun to see his confused face. You know that men are complete dopes when it comes to settling-down stuff…" Chloe finished speaking.

"Charlie Cutter joining us ? That sounds interesting as hell!" Andrianna joyfully said.

"Sure! Good idea, Chloe! We must use as much help we can afford. Give him a call." Nate commented.

"On it!" Chloe replied.

So ,the gang got united again, with a new ally joining them .An adventure begins…and a dark secret awaits…


End file.
